Peg and ring apparatus including inclined ramp launching station

ABSTRACT

A target game apparatus wherein the object is to propel a ringlike projectile toward a vertical post target for impalement thereon. The projectile is slidingly launched from an upwardly inclined ramp spaced from the target.

I United States Patent 1191 1111 3, Glass et al. Nov. 27, 1973 [54] PE AND RIN APPARATUS UD N 3,420,218 1/1969 Rademacher 124/43 INCLINED R LAUNCHING STATION 468,214 2/1892- Williams 273/100 1,113,969 10/1914 Ekelund 273/100 [75] Inv n Marvin Glass; J r y D- sl 2,793,861 5/1975 Konopka 273/100 both of Chicago, 111. 1,216,382 2/1917 Wenyon 273/100 1 2,6 7,0 7 1019 3 Ch ..273101 [73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates, 5 5 I 5 apm Chicago, Ill. Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham [22] Flled' 1971 Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [21] Appl. No.: 213,903 Attorney-James F. Coffee et a1.

52 US. Cl 273 101, 273 100, 273 104, 1 12/4/42 [57] ABSTRACT A target game apparatus wherein the object is to 0 care 24241 pel a ring-like projectile toward a vertical post target for impalement thereon. The projectile is slidingly launched from an upwardly inclined ramp spaced [56] References Cited from the target UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,432,824 12/1947 Shetler 273/100 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIEDnuvzv ma M msn NA? 5 E15 V, V6. E W W o e w w A 4. My

BY gwituq BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention v r This invention relates to games of skill, and more particularly to a target game wherein the object is to impale a ring-like projectile on a post-like target.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Games, wherein the object is to toss or propel a ringlike projectile so that it is impaled upon a post-like target, have enjoyed a great deal of popularity through the years. The projectile may either be tossed by hand, triggered by some mechanical means or slid on a flat surface by hand. An example of a game apparatus employing a sliding ring-like projectile launched from a launching surface spaced from a post is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 468,214.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved game of skill wherein the object is v to slidingly propel a ring-like projectile towards a postlike target for impalement thereon. Another object is to provide an inclined launching surface on which the projectile may be slid so that the trajectory of the projectile will generally follow a parabolic path of travel. These and other objects are accomplished in one form of the invention currently contemplated by providing target means, with a generally vertical elongated post member, a projectile having a through opening therein adapted to be impaled on the post member, and ramp means. The ramp. means is inclined and serves as a surface upon which the projectile may be supported prior to launching thereof. The ramp means has a launching station wherefrom the projectile may be slidingly propelled, preferably by digital manipulation, up and off the ramp means towards the target means.

The ramp means has a ground engaging inclined support member extending therefrom towards the target means thereby forming an inverted V-shaped ground supported member. The ramp means also has aflat slid: ing surface and a portion extending therefrom having an abutment formed thereon to abut a projectile at the launching station and hold the projectile in a launching position. Guide rails are provided on ramp means for guiding a launched projectile toward the target.

In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of inverted V-shaped members are radially arranged around the target. Each V-shaped member has a horizontal portion extending towards the center. The horizontal portions interengage to form a platform upon which the target is supported.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional fragmentary view of the game shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the game shown in FIG. 1.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is'shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The game 10 of this invention includes a plurality of ramp means, generally indicated 12, a target means 14 and a plurality of projectiles 16. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, preferably the projectiles 16 are ring-like members and the target means 14 is a postlike member specifically illustrated as a hollow bottle having an open-ended bottom. The object of the game is to launch the projectiles 16 from the ramp means 12 so that they will be impaled upon the target means 14.

Each of the ramp means 12 preferably is an inverted V-shaped member having three integral portions. Specifically, each ramp means 12 is provided with a launching leg 18 which is intended to be upwardly inclined from a supporting surface towards the target means 14; a support leg 20 which is joined to the launching leg 18 and is inclined downwardly therefrom so that, in combination therewith, an inverted V- shaped structure is defined; and a horizontal target supporting portion 22 which extends from the terminus of support leg 20 in a generally horizontal plane.

In the preferred embodiment, four of the ramp means 12 are arranged in a generally cruciform pattern with the target means 14 supported at the juncture of the four ramp means.

It is to be understood that, with slight alteration in the configuration of the horizontal portion 22, more than four ramp means could be provided or less, if desired.

Each launching leg 18 has a flat surface 24 and two upstanding laterally spaced apart rails 26 and 28 formed on the surface extending the length of the-support leg 20. The rails 26 and 28 form, with the surface 24, a channel generally designated 29 of variable width on the launching leg 18.

The rails 26and 28 are spaced apart near the top of the launching leg 18 to form an upper or enlarged channel portion 30. The surface 24 of the enlarged channel portion 30 is substantially planar and is therefore adapted to slidingly support a projectile 16 thereon.

The rails 26 and 28 are arcuately tapered inwardly from the enlarged channel portion 30 to form an intermediate or arcuate channel portion 32. The intermediate arcuate channel portion 32 defines a launching station from which a projectile is intended to be launched. The curved side surfaces 34 and 36 of the portion of the rails 26 and 28 forming the intermediate arcuate channel portion 32 provide abutments for receiving and holding a projectile 16 in a launching position at the launching station.

The rails 26 and 28 are spaced closer together near the bottom of the launching leg 18 to form a lower or reduced channel portion, 38. The reduced channel portion 38 provides an interruption or surface communieating with the launching station for receiving a trigger element (not shown) which may engage a projectile 16 held at the launching station. In the preferred embodiment, it is intended that the trigger element could be in the form of a participants finger (see FIG. 2) but it is to be understood that well known plunger-like trigger means may be provided as well.

The support leg 20 extends from the top of the launching leg 18 downwardly to the ground. The support leg 20 tends to stabilize each V-shaped member and serves as an integral connection between the launching leg 18 and the horizontal portion 22.

Each horizontal portion 22 is in the shape of a triangle having its hypotenuse laying against the member of 5 the support leg 20. Thus each horizontal portion 22 somewhat resembles an arrow-like configuration pointing towards the target 14. Each horizontal portion 22 also has an arcuate ridge 40 formed on the top surface 42 thereof in the form of a quarter segment of a circle.

The horizontal portions 22 are intended to be interengaging and thereby forming a flat surface 42 having a raised circular ridge 22 thereon. The circular ridge 22 is intended to receive the annular interior 44 of the bottom of the hollow, simulated bottle target 14 therearound as best shown in FIG. 2. In this manner, the bottle target 14 is centrally located and firmly supported on the horizontal portions 22 of the ramp means 12. One ramp could terminate in an entire target support.

The bottle target 14 and the ramp means 12 can be made of blow-molded plastic or other suitable material. The projectiles 16 can be rings made of plastic or light metal. The target 14 may be any elongated structure which is capable of having a ring impaled thereon.

In use, the game is first put together by interengaging the horizontal portions 22 as shown in FIG. 3. Next, the bottle target 14 is fitted over the circular ridge 40 so that the four V-shaped ramp means 12 and the bottle target 14 form a relatively rigid and stable configuration. 7

After the game is put together in the manner ,described above, each player places a ring projectile 16 in the launching station 32 of their respective V-shaped member 12. The projectile 16 is slidingly propelled into a path of travel towards the post-like target means 14 for impalement thereon. The opposite rails 26 and 28 forming the enlarged channel portion 30 serve to guide the launching of the projectile 16 toward the target 14. The first player to impale his projectile 16 on the bottle target 14 would be the winner of the game.

Of course, more than four players may participate by merely changing the configuration of the horizontal portions slightly. Also less players may participate.

The game can alsobe played with each player taking turns wherein the player successfully impaling his projectile 16 on the bottle target 14 the most times in a given number of turns would be the winner. Either method of playing the game provides the same degree of enjoyment for the participants and requires similar amounts of skill.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A target game wherein a projectile is propelled toward a target comprising:

a generally elongated vertical post target;

a flat ringlike slidable projectile adapted to be impaled on the target; and

a plurality of ramp members radially arranged around the target, each ramp member including a launching station for slidingly supporting a projectile thereon and a locking portion forming, with the other locking portions of the other ramp members and the target, interengaging means for fixing said ramp member in place and supporting said target.

2. The target game of claim 1 wherein each ramp member is an inverted V member including.

an inclined support leg,

an inclined launching leg joined to the support leg,

said launching leg including an upwardly inclined flat surface for slidingly supporting a projectile and two spaced apart rails extending upwardly from said upwardly inclined surface to form therewith a channel, said rails being widely spaced apart near the juncture of the launching and support legs to form an enlarged channel portion, said rails being tapered inwardly from the enlarged channel portion to form an arcuate channel portion adapted to receive a projectile thereat and defining said launching station from which a projectile may be launched, said rails being closely spaced together near the bottom of the launching leg to form a reduced channel portion for providing means for receiving a trigger element to engage a projectile at the launching station whereby the projectile may be slidingly propelled up and off the surface toward the target and said locking portion extending towards the target from the ground engaging end of the support leg. 

1. A target game wherein a projectile is propelled toward a target comprising: a generally elongated vertical post target; a flat ring-like slidable projectile adapted to be impaled on the target; and a plurality of ramp members radially arranged around the target, each ramp member including a launching station for slidingly supporting a projectile thereon and a locking portion forming, with the other locking portions of the other ramp members and the target, interengaging means for fixing said ramp member in place and supporting said target.
 2. The target game of claim 1 wherein each ramp member is an inverted V member including an inclined support leg, an inclined launching leg joined to the support leg, said launching leg including an upwardly inclined flat surface for slidingly supporting a projectile and two spaced apart rails extending upwardly from said upwardly inclined surface to form therewith a channel, said rails being widely spaced apart near the juncture of the launching and support legs to form an enlarged channel portion, said rails being tapered inwardly from the enlarged channel portion to form an arcuate channel portion adapted to receive a projectile thereat and defining said launching station from which a projectile may be launched, said rails being closely spaced together near the bottom of the launching leg to form a reduced channel portion for providing means for receiving a trigger element to engage a projectile at the launching station whereby the projectile may be slidingly propelled up and off the surface toward the target and said locking portion extending towards the target from the ground engaging end of the support leg. 